Create Model Objects

You can create new model objects directly in the VDB Explorer view, Diagram Editor or Table Editor using the following actions:

- New Child Action
  - Create in VDB Explorer
  - Create in Diagram Editor
  - Create in Table Editor
- New Sibling Action
  - Create in VDB Explorer
  - Create in Diagram Editor
  - Create in Table Editor
- New Association Action
  - Create in VDB Explorer
  - Create in Diagram Editor
  - Create in Table Editor

Dimension Designer constrains the types of objects you can create based upon the object you select and the type of model that contains that object. You cannot, for example, create a column attribute in a stored procedure, nor can you create a mapping class column in a Web service operation's output message.

New Child Action

To create new child model objects objects in the VDB Explorer:

> Step 1: Select the parent object to which you want to add a child. For example, you can add a package to a package or an attribute to a class.

> Step 2: Right-click on a container object. From the pop-up menu, select New Child. You can now select the child object you would like to add.

> Step 3: The new model object displays on the VDB Explorer view and is highlighted for renaming.

To create new child model objects objects in the Diagram Editor:

> Step 1: Select the parent object to which you want to add a child. For example, you can add a package to a package or an attribute to a class.

> Step 2: Right-click on a container object. From the pop-up menu, select New Child. You can now select the child object you would like to add.

> Step 3: The new model object displays in the diagram and is highlighted for renaming.

To create new child model objects in Table Editor:

> Step 1: Select the row for the parent object to which you want to add a child. For example to add a column, click the Base Table tab and select base table row.

> Step 2: Right-click on a table row. From the pop-up menu, select New Child. You can now select the child object you would like to add.

> Step 3: The selected tab in the Table Editor changes to the tab for the child object type, the new model object row is displayed and the row's name table cell is highlighted for renaming.

New Sibling Action

To create new sibling model objects in the VDB Explorer:

> Step 1: Select the object to which you want to add a sibling. For example, you can add a column sibling to a column.

> Step 2: Right-click on a object. From the pop-up menu, select New Sibling . You can now select the child object you would like to add.

> Step 3: The new model object displays on the VDB Explorer view and is highlighted for renaming.

To create new sibling model objects in the Diagram Editor :

> Step 1: Select the object to which you want to add a sibling. For example, you can add a column sibling to a column.

> Step 2: Right-click on a object. From the pop-up menu, select New Sibling . You can now select the child object you would like to add.

> Step 3: The new model object displays in the diagram and is highlighted for renaming.

To create new sibling model objects in Table Editor:

> Step 1: Select the row for the object to which you want to add a sibling. For example, you can add a column sibling to a column.

> Step 2: Right-click on a object. From the pop-up menu, select New Sibling . You can now select the child object you would like to add.

> Step 3: The new model object row is displayed and the row's name table cell is highlighted for renaming.

New Association Action

To create new association in the VDB Explorer:

> Step 1: Select two objects you wish to association. For example, select columns in different base tables.

> Step 2: Right-click. From the pop-up menu, select New Association > Foriegn Key Relationship.

> Step 3: The new relationship link is displayed in the diagram.

To create new association in the Diagram Editor :

> Step 1: Select two objects you wish to association. For example, select columns in different base tables.

> Step 2: Right-click. From the pop-up menu, select New Association > Foriegn Key Relationship.

> Step 3: The new relationship link is displayed in the diagram. The Column, Foreign Key, Primary Key reference properties are properly set on the selected columns, new primary key and new foreign key.

> OR

> Step 1: Select a column in table.

> Step 2: Drag the column to another table and drag over a column and drop onto this column. The target column should highlight in Yellow.

> Step 3: The new relationship link is displayed in the diagram. The Column, Foreign Key, Primary Key reference properties are properly set on the selected columns, new primary key and new foreign key.

To create new association in the Table Editor :

> Step 1: Select two objects you wish to association. For example, select columns in different base tables.

> Step 2: Right-click. From the pop-up menu, select New Association > Foriegn Key Relationship.

> Step 2: New Foreign Key and Primary Key objects will be added to the contents of their respective tabs in the Table Editor. The Column, Foreign Key, Primary Key reference properties are properly set on the selected columns, new primary key and new foreign key.

Related Topics

- VDB Explorer
- Diagram Editor
- Table Editor
- Getting Started with Metamatrix Dimension

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